After getting second-hand Z box last Oct., I've been having huge steps. It ( Z box ) tells me the steps to take.3 months later, I got 40-50 tubes in my drawer. ( AX, AT, AU, AZ and BH7s ) Initial setting was Mac Pro - Z box - Crown D-75A( or PS-200 ) - Dynaudio BM5P.All line cables are Belden88760 with Neutrik and Belden SP cable.It required DAC. So I got quite good one from Taiwan. And got optical cable from Taiwan too. Then it requested to check cables. First I A/B tested SP cable with Belden 88760 ( line cable ).88760 worked better. So changed the cable inside SP too.Final step was solder......Japanese solder - silver and a little copper - had the best result so far.Changed every soldering points. Then no needs for BH7s.At the same time, it's changed whole music which I've been listening. I used to love Mark Knopfler, Jeff Beck, Joe Satriani and so on. Now I can listen to only Jesse Cook, some Latin rock and classical guitars. That's OK and I can enjoy music better than ever. I will enjoy music rest of my life.... getting closer to the end. I enjoy playing music too.I sold Acoustic G ( steel strings ) and got nylon electric G with RMC pick-up and pre-amp inside.I have G SP ( open back, EV 12 inches ). Just plug into your G amp?I've tried cheap Chinese mic pre/DI ( US design ) - Crown - EV.... didn't work. because of piezo pick-up??? Or complicated mic pre????I think I need only reverb sometime.Another way of thinking.........I love Z box....I feel it naturally compresses very very gently and creates 3D images. 1U rack = Z box with Neutrik combo input ( XLR + 1/4 inch unbalanced ) and XLR output....plus your G amp's pre section with (XLR + 1/4 )output.I don't play with DAW at this moment...........but very interesting for me.Thank you very much for your help. Hoping to visit your place and listen ( if possible ) on the way to my son's graduation in Chicago.

Best Regards,

Yoshihisa Masui

Glad you're enjoying your ZBOX! I like your attention to detail, ie., with tube rolling etc. I'd love you have you visit. Just call a week before your planning on coming down so I can be sure to schedule myself here when you arrive!

Also, when things slow down a bit, I could build you a ZBOX in a commercial rack mount chassis with the options you need. Probably be a good Fall or Winter project.

Yesterday Zen Head came. Got it from eBay. It shows great possibility. However, distortion occurs constantly with a new battery. The more power, the more obvious. I do understand your original owner policy, but would you help?

Earphone's distortion maybe caused by over powering. Checked Grado with much higher volume ( Crown power amp D-75A's headphone out ) and it sounds like crystal.Both cases, usually distortion occurs volume around 12 o'clock or so. Last night it was at 8-9 o'clock on Grado sometime.

Also I changed 3 switches inside Zen Head, but it didn't effect the problem.

Even at low volume, I can feel it will sound great after the solution.

Zen Head matter is over, because pay/pal accepted the return. I do understand it's between the eBay seller and me.

Almost 3 weeks have passed after ordering the guitar amp. Are you ready to ship? Is it possible to slip the Zen Head ( after careful sound check ) in the G amp shipping box? ( I can save shipping cost ) If you can, please send pay/pal bill.

Because of sudden family matters, I can't visit Chicago in Aug. Hopefully soon.

Zen Head shipping : Please do not include the short black cable ( mini stereo - mini stereo ), if you are attaching. I do not need it.

If someone sold you a Zen Head on ebay, and it didn't work properly when you received it, you should suggest to the seller that he contact us and have it repaired. They come with a lifetime warranty so I am puzzled why someone would sell a damaged unit, unless perhaps it was damaged in transit by the shipper. We don't want any damaged Zen Heads floating around out there causing problems for people or our reputation.